The DALI IO-12 are top-of-the-line, premium over-ears from the Danish Hi-Fi manufacturer. These closed-back headphones come equipped with proprietary technologies, like Soft Magnetic Composite (SMC) driver magnet material, to ensure they're as easy on the ears as they are on the eyes. It's safe to say they're aimed squarely at the luxury audiophile market, given their leather and aluminum construction and variety of high-resolution connection types. The inclusion of an ANC system and a long-advertised battery life gives them some additional versatility, though, especially for those who want high-fidelity sound on the road.
Our Verdict
The DALI IO-12 weren't designed with sports and fitness in mind. They have a somewhat heavy, clunky build that doesn't make for a stable fit on the head, and jerky movements can easily cause them to slip and require adjustment. While the leather-centric construction adds a designer feel, it can promote heat and sweat buildup around the ear cups.
Very comfortable design.
Large and bulky.
The DALI IO-12 are a good choice for traveling. You'll be hard-pressed to find more comfortable or better-built headphones, and their use of premium materials makes for a premium-feeling listening experience while on the go. You'll also be hard-pressed to find a more cumbersome carrying case, though, which certainly makes them better suited to situations where luggage limitations aren't a concern. Their 35 hours of battery life mean they can go a few connecting flights without needing a recharge. While they come with an ANC system, it doesn't hold a candle to ANC-equipped flagship headphones from brands like Sony or Bose. It can cut out a decent amount of background chatter, but it will struggle to attenuate the roar of an aircraft engine.
Very comfortable design.
Premium construction and build quality.
Support for various wired connection types.
Large and bulky.
The DALI IO-12 are decent for office work. They're very comfortable, with soft leather earpads that'll hug your ears throughout the workday. Plus, the ability to use different wired and wireless connection types gives you some versatility in how they integrate with your workstation. Their ANC system does a decent job of blocking out sounds like water cooler talk and fridge hum, but it won't attenuate lower-pitched sounds, like scraping chairs, very well. They have a built-in mic that'll work well if you need to take a few calls throughout your workday, just don't expect the same performance as a boom mic: your voice will sound understandable but a little boxy. It does an adequate job of separating your voice from an office backdrop, though.
Very comfortable design.
Premium construction and build quality.
Extensive codec support.
Large and bulky.
Those with glasses will notice a drop in bass.
No mic support with a wired connection.
The DALI IO-12 aren't suitable for wireless gaming as latency is too high over a Bluetooth connection to be viable for most games.
The DALI IO-12 are okay for wired gaming. They're very comfortable headphones that'll get you through gaming marathons without much discomfort, and their warm tuning is well-suited to a variety of game types. The emphasized bass range can help bring out environmental audio, like footsteps, while the balanced mid-range adds detail to dialogue. You'll need to take some time to adjust the fit to ensure consistent audio delivery, though, especially if you wear glasses. They're compatible with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox family consoles using wired connections, with relatively low latency. Just be aware that you won't be able to use the mic while connected in this way.
Very comfortable design.
Support for various wired connection types.
Those with glasses will notice a drop in bass.
No mic support with a wired connection.
The DALI IO-12 are very good for audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response doesn't deviate much from their warm sound profile, with only some narrow peaks and dips in the treble range. While the default tuning already accentuates the bass range, it's possible to add even more thump via the switchable EQ. The L/R drivers are well-matched for the most part, and while there are some phase mismatches, they're very difficult to hear in real-life content. Distortion is also low enough that you won't notice any unwanted coloration of your audio, regardless of the listening level.
The DALI IO-12 are decent for noise isolation. They come equipped with a basic ANC system that works in conjunction with the closed-back design's passive isolation to attenuate across the entire frequency range. While it will cut down on traffic noises and background chatter, it can't compete with top-tier ANC-equipped over-ears from manufacturers like Sony and Bose. They particularly struggle in the low-bass range, where rumbling jet engines can creep into your audio. On the bright side, they don't leak much audio, so you don't need to be too worried about your tunes disturbing others.
The DALI IO-12's integrated microphone performs reasonably well. It's capable of rendering your voice in an understandable way, though it shelves the low- and high-end quite a bit, resulting in a boxy sound. Still, it does a passable job of separating your voice from busy backdrops, too, so it could be used to take calls in a packed office in a pinch, if you can't find a conference room in time.
The DALI IO-12 have sub-par frequency response consistency. The thick ear padding and square ear cups interact with the arms of glasses, especially thicker frames, which can disrupt the over-ear seal and bring about a noticeable drop in bass delivery.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The DALI IO-12 come in two color variants: 'Mocha Grey' and 'Dark Chocolate.' We've tested the Dark Chocolate colorway, and here's their label. If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The DALI IO-12 are the Danish Hi-Fi manufacturer's flagship headphones, with a more complete feature set than the lower-tier IO-8 and IO-6. They face stiff competition from other high-end, audiophile-centric manufacturers with their own over-ear, noise-cancelling offerings. Among them, the Noble FoKus Apollo offer superior noise isolation, a detachable boom mic (as well as an integrated one), and plenty of customization options via a companion app, while providing similar levels of comfort and build quality. The DALI also have a comparable performance and feature set to the Focal Bathys Wireless, with both headphones offering similar passive and active playback options. The DALI are more comfortable and better built, but the Focal offer a better noise isolation performance and sound-shaping possibilities via their app.
Check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones, the best headphones for music, and the best audiophile headphones.
The Focal Bathys Wireless and the DALI IO-12 offer a comparable feature set and sound. Both headphones feature some extra emphasis in their bass range presentation, but the DALI rolls off some high-end for a darker sound, while the Focal opt for a bit of extra treble-range detail. While the DALI's sound profile can be adjusted via a singular EQ preset, the Focal offer far more customization via the graphic EQ in their companion app. When it comes to on-the-go use, the DALI's supremely comfortable fit, longer battery life, and great build quality elevate them above the Focal, and they feature a slightly better-performing mic. Still, the Focal's ANC system is more capable of cutting out external noise, and it's able to deliver audio more consistently.
The DALI IO-12 and the Mark Levinson Nº 5909 are both premium over-ears from esteemed hi-fi manufacturers. The Mark Levinson have a brighter sound profile, while the DALI opt for a warmer sound. While listener preference will play into this, the Mark Levinson offer slightly more scope for sound tweaking with their bass contour presets (compared to the DALI's two possible EQ presets). When it comes to everyday use, the DALI offer a better build quality and a much more comfortable fit. That said, the Mark Levinson have the edge when it comes to noise isolation and deliver audio more consistently.
The Noble FoKus Apollo are better all-around headphones than the DALI IO-12, though some will still prefer the DALI for their comfortable fit and premium construction. Both these luxury over-ears feature some extra emphasis in the bass range, though the Noble have a bit of extra sharpness in the treble. If you're not a fan of the default sound, the Noble let you customize the sound via a graphic EQ and presets, while the DALI only feature two presets to switch between. The Noble offer a lot more versatility when it comes to use cases too, as their great boom mic is a boon for calling, and their superior ANC system blocks out a lot more external noise than the DALI. Plus, the Noble's mic can be used while connected over a wired connection, meaning they can be used as a wired gaming headset.
The Sennheiser HDB 630 and the DALI IO-12 are both ANC-equipped, luxury audiophile headphones with slightly different strengths. The Sennheiser's frequency response is better aligned with our target, but some might prefer the DALI's warmer sound, especially over longer listening sessions where ear fatigue can kick in. Still, the Sennheiser boast unrivaled sound customization possibilities, thanks to extremely flexible EQ and sound shaping controls. They have a better noise isolation performance and a longer battery life, too, and even come with a dedicated Bluetooth dongle for high-resolution wireless playback. That said, the DALI are more comfortable and better built, and their built-in mic has a slightly better recording quality.
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